Yet another year in Mobile, Alabama for the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl and the talent keeps getting better and better. Just 1 year removed from the Covid edition of the Senior Bowl and media and coaches are finally able to get a closer look into the players with fewer event and gameday restrictions.
This year’s class of corners is star-studded and we have some of the best players in the country to cover this year. On this list, I will evaluate and give a full analysis of the top 5 corners to watch in this year’s game.
5. Mario Goodrich
Goodrich is surely not the flashiest name on this list, but he has put together a nice resume over his time at Clemson. With Clemson being known to produce big names at corner, Goodrich has waited his turn. With only one full season under his belt as a starter, Goodrich has relatively good experience at corner. He has played in several games with big-time receiver matchups and high-powered offenses. In his final year at Clemson, he brought in 2 interceptions and 9 pass breakups. Goodrich will be a good addition to any NFL system as he was coached by one of the best defensive masterminds in football, Brent Venables.
Draft Grade: 3rd/4th Round
4. Derion Kendrick
Kendrick probably has the most upside in this entire class of corners. As a converted receiver, Kendrick has only spent 2 full seasons as a cornerback. Originally at Clemson, Kendrick was asked to play corner in 2019 after Clemson needed more depth. Kendrick eventually worked himself into the starting lineup and has not looked back ever since. After begin dismissed from Clemson after the 2020 season, Kendrick found a home at UGA, where he went on to be a major part of their National Championship season.
Kendrick racked in 4 interceptions and 3 PBU’s in 2021 as he helped anchor the best defense in the nation. Despite having the best defensive front in football, Kendrick came up with several big plays late in the season that sealed victories for UGA in the Semi-finals and National Championship. Kendrick has obvious ball skills that show up on tape almost immediately. As a former receiver, he has not spent much time at cornerback, but he has enough athleticism and length to successfully matchup with any receiver.
Draft Grade: 2nd/3rd Round
3. Tariq Castro-Fields
Castro-Fields is the definition of an experienced cornerback. At Penn State, he started a total of 30 games and played in 52 career games. With a massive amount of experience, he was a consistent player for Penn State throughout his career. Not an elite ballhawk, but very good at getting the ball out of the receiver's hands, Castro-Fields tallied 6 pass breakups with no interceptions in 2021. In fact, in all 4 years at Penn State, he broke up a total of 28 passes.
Not a devastating open-field tackler, but he will get physical when he needs to be. As a field corner, he is more focused on coverage the majority of the time as he plays in the most space. His zone skills are better than his man coverage ability and he is rarely on the short side of the field. However, he does have enough athleticism to run with the more athletic receivers that he matched up against.
Draft Grade: Late 2nd Round
2. Cam Taylor-Britt
Cam Taylor-Britt is what you would call a playmaker at the corner. He is not a big-time technician, but he has solid technical ability that combines with good athleticism. In zone coverage, he is very aware of routes coming into his zone and he likes to keep his eyes on the #2 receiver. He is rangy and has physical ability that could even see him playing some safety. He spent time in the slot as well. In man coverage, Taylor-Britt is not super handsy, and he likes to use his feet to maintain position on the receiver.
Weaknesses: Taylor-Britt is a physical corner that can get into trouble for looking too much into the backfield at the quarterback. He has never had an amazing number of interceptions with his career-high being in his first year with 3 interceptions. In his final year, he only brought in 1 interception on a defense that was not all that good.
Draft Grade: Early 2nd Round
1. Roger McCreary
After a big-time game in Tuscaloosa late in the season, Roger McCreary became a national name at the corner position. Coming into this season, McCreary was a 1-year starter and a solid player at the corner position. Over the course of this season, McCreary became a household name as he held his own in SEC West play and consistently made it difficult for opposing quarterbacks. As a veteran corner, he was very confident in his matchups and it showed as he had several multiple break-up games. Finishing the season with 3 interceptions, he also made his presence felt in that category.
McCreary has prototypical size for an NFL cornerback at 6 ft and 190 pounds. McCreary is a very physical corner that does not shy away from contact in coverage. He uses his body very in coverage and stays glued to receivers through the entire route. He is able to run with any receiver with very pure athleticism. McCreary does a good job of staying composed when behind in coverage and plays through the hands very well. McCreary doesn’t seem to possess a lot of length, but he makes up for it in his lower half. His feet are quick and he does not waste many steps.
Draft Grade: First Round/ Early Second Round
Writer
-By: LeMarkus Bailey
